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- Best overall: Cricut Explore 4 Machine
- Best budget: Brother ScanNCut SDX85 Electronic Cutting Machine
- Best premium: Cricut Maker 4 Machine
- Best for built-in scanning: Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine
- Cricut Explore 4 suits crafters who want a versatile machine with a large online project ecosystem.
- Brother ScanNCut SDX125E stands out for built-in scanning and on-device design work.
- Cricut Maker 4 handles more material types than Cricut Explore 4, making it a stronger upgrade for varied projects.
- Compare included tools, workspace, software needs and material support before choosing a Black Friday 2026 cutting machine.
Cricut Explore 4 and Brother ScanNCut SDX125E are the key choices for a Black Friday 2026 craft cutter: Cricut offers a connected design workflow, while Brother includes a built-in scanner. We researched and compared specs, reviews and owner feedback to identify seven machines for different project styles and workspaces.
My pick for most people is Cricut Explore 4 Machine, thanks to its support for 100-plus materials and broad project library. Brother ScanNCut SDX125E is the better fit for crafters who want to scan and cut their own artwork directly on the machine. Use the comparisons below to match the machine to your materials, space and software preferences.
How We Picked
- Compared supported materials, cutting widths and the types of projects each machine targets.
- Reviewed whether a machine relies on connected software or includes on-device design and scanning features.
- Considered the learning curve, workspace demands and value of included functions for different craft levels.
- Checked published specifications alongside owner feedback, with an emphasis on practical trade-offs rather than promotional claims.
- Included compact, versatile and large-format options so shoppers can compare beyond the two headline machines.
Comparison Table
| Product | Best for | Material compatibility | Built-in designs | Maximum cutting width |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cricut Explore 4 Machine | Versatile everyday projects | 100+ materials | Design Space library | 12 in |
| Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine | Scanning personal artwork | Paper and fabric craft materials | 682 | 12 in scan width |
| Cricut Maker 4 Machine | Specialty materials | 300+ materials | Design Space library | 12 in |
| Cricut Joy Xtra Machine | Compact crafts | 50+ materials | Design Space library | 8.5 in |
| Cricut Venture Machine | Large-format projects | Smart Materials supported | Design Space library | 24 in |
| Brother ScanNCut SDX225 Electronic Cutting Machine | Built-in designs and scanning | Paper and fabric craft materials | 1,303 | 12 in scan width |
| Brother ScanNCut SDX85 Electronic Cutting Machine | Essential Brother features | Paper and fabric craft materials | 251 | 12 in scan width |
Cricut Explore 4 vs Brother ScanNCut Black Friday Deals 2026
#1 · Top pick
Cricut Explore 4 Machine
The Cricut Explore 4 Machine is the best all-around cutter for everyday paper, vinyl and iron-on projects. The machine works with 100-plus materials and supports Smart Materials for matless cuts.
Best for: Home crafters who want a versatile connected cutting machine.
- Material compatibility
- 100+ materials
- Smart Materials
- Up to 12 ft
- Cutting system
- Fine-point blade
- Design software
- Cricut Design Space
- Wide material range for common craft projects
- Smart Materials enable matless cuts
- Large library of ready-to-make designs
- Design work depends on a connected device and Design Space
Is the Cricut Explore 4 Machine worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
Yes. Cricut Explore 4 Machine is a strong choice for home crafters who want one machine for paper, vinyl and iron-on projects. The Cricut Explore 4 Machine's 100-plus-material compatibility and Smart Materials support make it versatile without requiring a larger professional cutter.
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#2
Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine
The Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine is the best pick for scanning artwork straight into a cutting workflow. The Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine's 5-inch touchscreen and built-in scanner help users prepare designs without relying on a separate computer for every task.
Best for: Crafters who want to scan drawings, fabric and paper designs.
- Built-in designs
- 682
- Screen size
- 5 in
- Maximum scan width
- 12 in
- Built-in scanner
- Yes
- Scans original artwork on the machine
- Touchscreen supports on-device adjustments
- Useful for paper and fabric crafts
- Cricut has a larger connected design ecosystem
Is the Brother ScanNCut SDX125E worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
Yes. Brother ScanNCut SDX125E is worth considering for crafters who want a built-in scanner and touchscreen controls. The 682 built-in designs offer a useful starting point, while scanning helps turn personal drawings and printed artwork into cut files.
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#3
Cricut Maker 4 Machine
The Cricut Maker 4 Machine is the best upgrade for crafters who work across many materials. The Cricut Maker 4 Machine's compatibility with 300-plus materials gives it more range than Cricut Explore 4 for detailed and specialty projects.
Best for: Experienced crafters who want broader material support.
- Material compatibility
- 300+ materials
- Tool system
- Adaptive tool system
- Design software
- Cricut Design Space
- Smart Materials
- Supported
- Broad material compatibility
- Supports a wider range of specialty tools
- Fits into the Cricut Design Space workflow
- More machine than casual paper-craft users need
Is the Cricut Maker 4 Machine worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
Yes. Cricut Maker 4 Machine is a worthwhile step up for crafters whose projects extend beyond common paper and vinyl. The Cricut Maker 4 Machine's 300-plus-material compatibility and adaptive tool system offer a wider creative range than a basic cutting machine.
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#4
Cricut Joy Xtra Machine
The Cricut Joy Xtra Machine is the best compact choice for small workspaces and quick projects. The machine cuts materials up to 8.5 inches wide, covering cards, labels, stickers and smaller apparel designs.
Best for: Apartment crafters, card makers and occasional project users.
- Material compatibility
- 50+ materials
- Maximum cutting width
- 8.5 in
- Design software
- Cricut Design Space
- Machine format
- Compact
- Small footprint is easy to store
- Works with cards, labels and stickers
- Uses Cricut Design Space
- Narrower cutting width than full-size machines
Is the Cricut Joy Xtra Machine worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
Yes. Cricut Joy Xtra Machine is a good fit when storage space matters more than large-format cutting. The Cricut Joy Xtra Machine's 8.5-inch cutting width suits cards, labels and stickers, while compatibility with 50-plus materials keeps it useful for varied small projects.
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#5
Cricut Venture Machine
The Cricut Venture Machine is the best choice for large-format signs, banners and batch production. The Cricut Venture Machine's 24-inch cutting width supports projects that exceed the practical workspace of Cricut Explore 4 and compact craft cutters.
Best for: Makers producing large signs, event décor and longer runs.
- Maximum cutting width
- 24 in
- Machine format
- Large-format
- Design software
- Cricut Design Space
- Smart Materials
- Supported
- Wide cutting area suits oversized designs
- Handles longer material runs
- Uses the Cricut design workflow
- Needs substantially more workspace than desktop models
Is the Cricut Venture Machine worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
Yes, for makers who regularly need large-format cuts. Cricut Venture Machine offers a 24-inch cutting width for banners, signs and event décor. Shoppers focused on cards or small decals should choose a compact model instead.
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#6
Brother ScanNCut SDX225 Electronic Cutting Machine
The Brother ScanNCut SDX225 Electronic Cutting Machine is the best Brother option for crafters seeking scanning and a larger built-in design collection. The model includes a 5-inch touchscreen and 1,303 built-in designs for on-machine project starts.
Best for: Brother fans who want many built-in designs and scanner features.
- Built-in designs
- 1,303
- Screen size
- 5 in
- Built-in scanner
- Yes
- Cutting area
- 12 x 24 in with compatible mat
- Large collection of built-in designs
- Built-in scanner supports custom artwork
- Touchscreen editing is available on the machine
- Larger project library does not replace careful file preparation
Is the Brother ScanNCut SDX225 worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
Yes. Brother ScanNCut SDX225 is a strong fit for crafters who want 1,303 built-in designs, a touchscreen and built-in scanning. The included design options are convenient for quick projects, while the scanner suits original artwork and custom shapes.
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#7
Brother ScanNCut SDX85 Electronic Cutting Machine
The Brother ScanNCut SDX85 Electronic Cutting Machine is the best straightforward Brother option for everyday cutting and scanning. The Brother ScanNCut SDX85 Electronic Cutting Machine's 3.47-inch touchscreen and 251 built-in designs provide core on-device features in a simpler setup.
Best for: Beginners who want Brother scanning without a premium feature set.
- Built-in designs
- 251
- Screen size
- 3.47 in
- Built-in scanner
- Yes
- Cutting area
- 12 x 12 in with compatible mat
- Built-in scanner supports custom designs
- Includes essential on-machine controls
- Suitable for common home craft projects
- Smaller design library than SDX225
Is the Brother ScanNCut SDX85 worth buying on Black Friday 2026?
Yes. Brother ScanNCut SDX85 is a practical entry point for shoppers who want scanning and on-device cutting features. The Brother ScanNCut SDX85 Electronic Cutting Machine's 251 built-in designs and 3.47-inch touchscreen cover core needs, though frequent users can benefit from a larger design library.
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Which is better, Cricut Explore 4 or Brother ScanNCut?
Cricut Explore 4 Machine is the better fit for connected design workflows and 100-plus materials, while Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine is better for scanning original artwork. The right pick depends on how you prefer to create and prepare designs.
Cricut Design Space gives Explore 4 access to a broad library of projects and connected editing tools. The trade-off is that design work depends on a compatible device and software. Brother ScanNCut SDX125E puts scanning and touchscreen adjustments on the machine, which is useful for paper, fabric and hand-drawn designs.
Choose Cricut for an expansive online project ecosystem and Smart Materials. Choose Brother for a self-contained scan-and-cut workflow. Compare the exact bundle contents as well as machine features before purchasing.
Does Brother ScanNCut scan better than Cricut Explore 4?
Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine has a built-in scanner with a 12-inch scan width, while Cricut Explore 4 Machine does not include an onboard scanner. That difference makes Brother the more direct option for converting physical artwork into cut files.
ScanNCut's scanner can capture drawings and printed shapes for cutting, with adjustments handled through the machine's touchscreen. Cricut Explore 4 instead focuses on cuts prepared through Design Space, where users create, upload or select a project on a connected device.
Choose Brother for scanning paper originals or tracing custom artwork. Choose Cricut when most designs start digitally or come from a project library. Scanner value depends on how often original physical designs are part of your craft routine.
Which cutter is easier for beginners?
Cricut Joy Xtra Machine is a beginner-friendly compact option with an 8.5-inch cutting width, while Brother ScanNCut SDX85 Electronic Cutting Machine offers 251 built-in designs and a scanner. Both machines cover basic crafting, but the setup experience differs.
Cricut's guided Design Space workflow helps beginners make projects from a connected device, and Cricut Explore 4 expands that approach to 100-plus materials. Brother ScanNCut SDX85 keeps more functions on the machine, which suits users who prefer touchscreen controls and scanning.
For the simplest route into Cricut's project library, consider Joy Xtra or Explore 4. For scanning without stepping up to a larger Brother design collection, SDX85 keeps the core ScanNCut approach. Check the included blade, mat and tools in each bundle.
Which machine handles the widest range of materials?
Cricut Maker 4 Machine supports 300-plus materials, giving it the broadest stated material range among the seven picks. Cricut Explore 4 Machine supports 100-plus materials, which is ample for many common home craft projects.
Explore 4 suits typical paper, vinyl and iron-on work, while Maker 4 is designed for crafters who also want access to specialty materials and a wider tool system. Brother ScanNCut models stand out for scanning and on-device features rather than a single headline material count.
Match the machine to the materials in your project list instead of choosing the biggest number alone. Confirm the required blade, mat and accessory for each material, and allow for extra setup when a project uses unfamiliar supplies.
Which cutting machine is best for large projects?
Cricut Venture Machine is the strongest large-project choice, with a 24-inch cutting width for signs, banners and event décor. Cricut Explore 4 Machine and the desktop Brother ScanNCut models are better suited to regular home craft sizes.
Venture's wider workspace supports projects that need longer or broader cuts, but the machine also needs a dedicated area. Cricut Joy Xtra takes the opposite approach with an 8.5-inch cutting width and compact design for small workspaces.
Think about both the finished project and where the cutter will live. If most work involves labels, cards or decals, a desktop machine avoids unnecessary workspace demands. For frequent oversized projects, Venture's wider format is the decisive advantage.
Buying Guide
Choose between built-in scanning and connected design software
Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine includes a scanner with a 12-inch scan width, while Cricut Explore 4 Machine uses Cricut Design Space. Pick Brother if scanning drawings is central to your work; pick Cricut if you prefer connected design tools and a large project library.
Match material support to your projects
Cricut Maker 4 Machine supports 300-plus materials, while Cricut Explore 4 Machine supports 100-plus. Start with your regular materials, then check the blades, mats and accessories those projects require. More compatibility only adds value when you use it.
Measure your workspace and project size
Cricut Venture Machine has a 24-inch cutting width, compared with Cricut Joy Xtra Machine's 8.5-inch width. Measure both the machine footprint and the room needed to feed materials. A compact cutter suits occasional small projects; large-format work needs more space.
Compare bundle contents before deciding
Cricut Explore 4 Machine and Brother ScanNCut SDX225 Electronic Cutting Machine each serve different workflows, and bundle contents can vary. Check whether the listing includes a mat, blades, tools, materials or useful project supplies. Compare included accessories, not just the machine name.
Pick a workflow you will enjoy using
Brother ScanNCut SDX85 Electronic Cutting Machine puts scanning and touchscreen controls on the machine, while Cricut Joy Xtra Machine relies on Design Space. Consider whether you prefer on-device adjustments or connected software, then choose the workflow that fits your craft habits.
FAQ
Cricut Explore 4 vs Brother ScanNCut: which should I buy?
Cricut Explore 4 Machine is the better fit for connected design tools and 100-plus materials. Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine is the stronger choice for built-in scanning and on-device controls. Choose based on whether your projects start digitally or with physical artwork.
Does Cricut Explore 4 have a built-in scanner?
No. Cricut Explore 4 Machine does not include a built-in scanner. Users prepare designs through Cricut Design Space on a connected device. Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine includes a scanner for converting physical artwork into cut-ready designs.
What is the difference between Brother ScanNCut SDX125E and SDX225?
Brother ScanNCut SDX225 Electronic Cutting Machine includes 1,303 built-in designs, compared with 682 on Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine. Both offer a touchscreen and built-in scanner. The SDX225 suits shoppers who value a larger on-device design collection.
Is Cricut Maker 4 better than Cricut Explore 4?
Cricut Maker 4 Machine is better for crafters who want support for 300-plus materials and a broader tool system. Cricut Explore 4 Machine supports 100-plus materials and covers many everyday projects. The better choice depends on whether specialty materials are part of your routine.
Which Cricut machine is best for a small workspace?
Cricut Joy Xtra Machine is the best fit for a small workspace, with a compact format and an 8.5-inch cutting width. Cricut Explore 4 Machine handles larger everyday projects, but needs more room. Choose Joy Xtra for cards, labels, stickers and small craft jobs.
Can Brother ScanNCut machines cut without a computer?
Yes. Brother ScanNCut SDX125E Electronic Cutting Machine and Brother ScanNCut SDX225 Electronic Cutting Machine include built-in scanners, touchscreens and designs for on-device work. A computer remains useful for some file preparation, but core scanning and cutting tasks can happen on the machine.